Volume II: Filmography

A DEEP SEA LIAR

October 12, 1913 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel (1,019 feet)

Character: Comedy

Director: Carl L. Gregory

Scenario: Lloyd F. Lonergan

Cameraman: Carl L. Gregory

Cast: Florence LaBadie, William Russell, Ethyle Cooke

Locations: Cape May, New Jersey. According to a review in The Moving Picture World, October 25, 1913, some lifesaving scenes were photographed on the coast of California.

Notes: 1. The title was listed erroneously as A Deep Sea Lair, and the release date was erroneously given as October 10, 1913, in the September 20 and 27, 1913 issues of The Moving Picture News. 2. This film was the second of the Cape May productions. The group of films included the following: Louie, the Life Saver (October 7, 1913), A Deep Sea Liar (October 12, 1913), Beauty in the Seashell (October 19, 1913), The Mystery of the Haunted Hotel (October 21, 1913), The Water Cure (November 2, 1913), and Little Brother (November 7, 1913).

ADVERTISEMENT, Reel Life, October 11, 1913:

"The second of the famous by-the-sea productions made at Cape May by a special company. A romantic maiden is told by a romancer that he is owner of a yacht whose crew mutinied and flung him overboard. He proves to be a mere deckhand who had fallen overboard while intoxicated!"

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, October 18, 1913:

"The girl just doted on romances. While at the seashore, she found much entertainment in watching the sturdy guards, who go out to sea in all sorts of weather to give aid to those on wrecked ships. Their daily drills are interesting, but one day she had a real thrill. Far out in the angry sea a man was seen swimming, and the life boat was launched and the swimmer rescued after an exciting battle with the waves. The man was revived with difficulty, and while he was convalescing in the life saver's station, the girl called, and learned all about him. At least what he had to say. He told her that he was a millionaire, passionately fond of the sea, and owner of large yacht on which he took frequent cruises. Because of his prominence he had influential enemies, and by an enormous bribe they corrupted his captain. One dark and stormy night they mutinied, while the yacht was far out to sea, and the owner was thrown overboard. Being a powerful swimmer, he kept afloat for thirty hours, but was nearly exhausted when picked up.

"The girl was thoroughly impressed and it was a case of love at first sight. She told the matter-of-fact aunt of her romance, and the elder woman decided to investigate. They called on the 'millionaire' and the aunt did not like his looks and bluntly told him so. The girl pleaded with her guardian not to be so cross, and while they were arguing, the wife of the captain of the life savers entered. The aunt questioned her about the 'millionaire,' and the captain's wife replied that the swimmer was not a millionaire at all. In fact, he was only a drunken deck hand on a coastwise steamer who had fallen overboard while drunk. Then she casually announced that the man's wife and children had arrived, which was the cue for an angry woman to enter, followed by a swarm of youngsters. Romance vanished at once and the girl departed thoroughly disillusioned, while the deckhand's wife led him off by the ear, scolding him for being a 20th century Ananias."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, October 25, 1913:

"This film opens with a demonstration of life-saving apparatus on the California coast and then drifts into a sea episode, having but little connection with the foregoing. The stranger rescued at sea tells the girl quite a yarn about his yacht and like, but she afterward learns that he was only a deckhand. A very slight story in this."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, October 15, 1913:

"The story of this film should not be deeply considered, as it was merely intended as a peg on which to hang some interesting views on U.S. lifesavers at their drills, and at work. A girl witnesses the rescue of a drowning man, and later calls on him. He tells of his millions and his private yacht, saying that an enemy had bribed his captain to throw him overboard. The climax comes when his wife and family - a numerous one - appear, and the girl finds that her hero is only a deckhand who fell overboard while drunk. The acting is up to the standard and the photography is good. Slight fault may be found with the direction for allowing the entrance of a few inconsistencies. An ordinary film with no especial point for commendation."

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